Fahim Haider Jafari PhD

Learning Objectives Describe what is critical thinking Describe what is lateral thinking Use critical and lateral thinking in professional life

Thinking Thinking is the highest mental activity present in man All human achievements and progress are simply the products of thought The evolution of culture, art, literature, science and technology are all the results of thinking

Critical Thinking Critical thinking is primarily concerned with judging the true value of statements and seeking errors It refers to a higher-order of thinking that questions assumptions It is a way of deciding whether a claim is true, false, or sometimes true and sometimes false, or partly true and partly false It is an important component of most professions It is a part of the education process and is increasingly significant as students university to graduate education

Lateral Thinking It is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by- step logic

Lateral Thinking Thought and action are inseparable - they are actually the two sides of the same coin All our deliberate action starts from our deliberate thinking For a man to do something, he should first see it in his mind's eye -- he should imagine it, think about it first, before he can do it All creations-- whether artistic, literal or scientific -- first occur in the creator's mind before it is actually given life in the real world

Uses A reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do Thinking about thinking The intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action The process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment, which uses reasoned consideration to evidence, context, conceptualizations, methods, and criteria

Meaning Critical thinking clarifies goals Examines assumptions Discerns hidden values Evaluates evidence Accomplishes actions Assesses conclusions A way of taking up the problems of life

Skills The list of core critical thinking skills includes : Observation Interpretation Analysis Inference Evaluation Explanation Meta-cognition

Skills Critical thinking gives due consideration to: Evidence through observation Context Relevant criteria for making the judgment well Applicable methods or techniques for forming the judgment Applicable theoretical constructs for understanding the problem and the question at hand

Skills In addition to possessing strong critical-thinking skills, one must be disposed to engage problems and decisions using those skills Critical thinking employs not only logic but broad intellectual criteria: Clarity Credibility Accuracy Precision Relevance Depth Breadth Significance Fairness